Chapter Ten:
THE wedding came far too quickly for my liking. My stomach was a jumble of nervous butterflies as Aero and another witch, Catarina, helped me prepare for my big day. The dresses here were lacy and black instead of white. My own had a corset, which I admitted I did not love. It was silk, with a lacey over layer. It had a sweetheart top, with no sleeves. I had lace hand gloves, with finger holes, and the skirt of the dress was full and long.
Aero had curled my hair and pinned it up in a bun, and Catarina had placed a golden tiara with onyx stones on my head. My eyes looked huge and childish, but had a glimmer of evil behind them.
Aero hugged me lightly when they finished, and squealed. "Oh, Annie, you look so beautiful!" she gushed. I smiled slightly and looked at myself in the mirror. As a birthday present, Michael had replaced the shattered mirror with a larger, full mirror. I twirled, watching the full skirt dance around my legs.
"I do, don't I?" I murmured, watching my face glow with excitement. I looked at Aero. "Weddings here, are they different than the human world?"
She shook her head. "No, the ceremony is first, followed by a reception. It is the same in all dimensions of the world."
I nodded. "Thank you, Aero." I looked at the door. "Now, where is my grandfather? He is to escort me down the aisle." As I spoke, Michael swept into the room and took my hand.
"Ah, Granddaughter!" he said, kissing my hand. "I'm here, do not fret. Are you ready to become Mrs. Moon?"
I nodded, my stomach twisting. "I think so," I said, then corrected myself. "Of course I am. This is the biggest day of my life." I took his arm in mine and he led me out of the room. Aero and Catarina went ahead of me, and walked down the black carpet first.
Aero kissed Aaron's cheek when she reached him, and he turned to look at me. His look sent chills down my spine, but in a pleasant sort of way. I looked at Michael, then at the ground, my cheeks pink as we started down the aisle.
When I reached Aaron, I looked up at his face, and felt a smile creep onto my own face. I took his hands in mine, and looked at the werewolf, who was to marry us today. He smiled at me, then at Aaron.
"We are gathered here today, to witness the marriage between Princess Annie Darqueeth and Aaron Moon…." He continued on, but I was lost in Aaron's eyes as he spoke, and when Aero shoved my shoulder, I jumped.
"Princess?" the werewolf asked. "Do you take Aaron as your husband?" Aaron looked at me, his eyes filled with fear.
"I…I…" My mind was filled with Dimitri's face, and it was filled with sorrow and betrayal. I swallowed, my throat thick. "I do." Aaron looked relieved when I spoke, and he kissed me so hard that when I finally broke away, I was panting. He picked me up in his arms and spun me around. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tightly as he carried me back down the aisle.
The grand ballroom looked very similar to my birthday party, but the purple was gone and it was just black and red. The chandelier was lit this time, and no candles were lit. I swung myself out of Aaron's arms and pulled him close. The first dance started, and the floor was flooded with guests, most of which I did not know. But I smiled and laughed anyways.
Aaron kissed me when the song ended. "I love you, Annie," he whispered in my ear. That was the one thing I had not been prepared to hear. Luckily, the song changed, and I recognized it from my iPod—Last of the Wilds by Nightwish. I grinned and we swapped partners.
I saw mine too late, and I knew he would not be willing to let me go.
DIMITRI:
He saw the opportunity, and made sure that when Last of the Wilds starts, he would be the partner that Annie came to. He knew she couldn't have seen it before she grasped his hand, and that made it better.
When she saw him, however, her eyes widened and he could see the fear that was plain on her face. "Dimitri!" she gasped, trying to pull away from him, but he held her tightly. "What are you doing? I kicked you out of the castle!"
He put a finger to her lips. "Dancing with the bride," he whispered. He pulled her closer, and she didn't protest. He moved with the music, and twirled her around.
"Now, Annabelle," he murmured in her ear. "Please, you have to listen to me. I'm not here to try and change your mind. It's obviously too late for that." He shot a hateful glare in Aaron's direction. "But, Annie, you have to know…I love you. I always have. It was you I have always loved, never your mother, Claire. You."
She pulled back and stared at him. He saw the silver flash behind the dark, soulless black.
"Dimitri," she said in a quiet, strangled voice. "You need to get out of here. Something bad is going to happen."
He tightened his grasp on her, and the silver flashed through her eyes again. "I won't leave, even if my life depended on it." He kissed my forehead.
Her face became solemn, and he could see the old Annie in it. He could also see Claire. "Trust me, Dimitri," she whispered. "It does."
"It doesn't matter!" he hissed, and the music stopped. He and Annie were still in their last position of the dance, one hand raised and the other on her waist, her hand on his shoulder.
She removed her hand from his and cupped his face in her hands. He could see her temple pulsing, and the words she spoke next were hard for her to say. "I love you, Dimitri."
Agony shot through her eyes, and she squeezed them shut. He felt her legs fail her, and she collapsed on the ground. There was a flash of light, which hit the chandelier and shot throughout the room.
Dimitri watched as she opened her eyes, and their piercing silver color flashed.